Full Agenda*

First Time Attendee Orientation
Welcome Class of 2017 to your very first ASPPA Annual Conference! Get the most of your conference experience by attending this quick first time attendee orientation. Connect with other first time attendees while we review all of the events the conference has to offer, help you access the mobile app, give you a lay of the land and where the sessions are located and give you tips and tricks for navigating the exhibit hall. We are excited to have you join us!

Administration

This workshop will provide you with tools to use when planning for a plan termination. There will be discussions on submitting for a determination letter, how to deal with a plan termination during a merger or acquisition, and case studies that may cause problems with your plan termination. Attendees will learn about:

Plan termination compliance and testing requirements;

Required communications to participants; and

How to aid plan sponsors in identifying issues arising from corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Defined Benefit

PPA, MAP-21 and HATFA created a large range of contributions for plan sponsors to contribute. Without consultation from the actuary, the plan sponsor can end up in an overfunded or underfunded situation. Attendees will learn:

Business Development

Rapid changes in technology and its use both professionally and personally mean that you service a demographic with varying levels of digital experience and knowledge. This workshop will address methods of using both traditional and new technology to service multiple generations. From the perspective of each generation, explore their expectations and habits and well as the “trust factor” of the technology employed. Identify and share how technology impacts the way we work within our offices including communication styles and methods and how that is in turn reflected outwardly to your customer. Share your successful ideas that have been employed as well as what may not have had the intended impact. Attendees will:

Fiduciary

This is the year of the fiduciary, and the importance of fiduciary liability insurance and bonding has never been more important. This workshop will cover the details of what service providers need to know to provide the right information to plan sponsors and fiduciaries. The fine print is becoming increasingly important. Come learn everything you need about these products. Attendees will:

Learn about the regulations governing fidelity bond requirements as well as ideas for determining and evaluating fiduciary insurance coverage;

Gain the expertise to assist clients with the review of fiduciary liability insurance and fidelity bond policies; and

Gain insight into possible policy language that might be problematic for plan fiduciaries.

Administration

Maneuvering through the tax codes of both Puerto Rico and the US to properly administer a plan can be costly if not done right. This workshop will provide a review of the various rules and regulations that apply! Attendees will learn:

Rules that apply to plans that cover Puerto Rico employees;

What companies need to know regarding tax implications; and

How to navigate the Puerto Rico laws.

René J. Avilés, Esq., Ferraiuoli, LLC

Workshop 9: Compensation in Qualified Plans: To Include or Not Include, What is the Definition?CE: ASPPA and JBEA non-core

Administration

One of the most common errors found by the IRS is the plan not using the proper definition of compensation. The importance of making sure the plan document's definition and the actual operation are in sync remains a critical component of a consultant to qualified plans. This workshop will discuss the various compensation definitions along with the pitfalls of certain definitions and exclusions. Attendees will be able to:

Differentiate between the different definitions of compensation;

Understand and identify how the plan's definition of compensation can cause plan operation issues; and

Know how to correct the most common compensation errors that occur in qualified plans.

Business Development

In today’s market place a plan sponsor has the ability to outsource some of their fiduciary responsibilities using 3(16), 3(21) and 3(38) providers. This workshop with address the fiduciary services that these providers deliver and the associated risks. We will also explore the variances in provider offerings and how you can help your plan sponsors decide on the services to utilize. Attendees will:

Develop an understanding of the services provided by outsourcing 3(16), 3(21), 3(38);

Discuss the differences of 3(16), 3(21), 3(38); and

Understand the liability associated with each set of responsibilities.

Consulting

This workshop will detail the myriad of issues that arise when an international employer sponsors a retirement plan and when there are international employees participating in a retirement plan. Do you know what laws even apply? This workshop will help you navigate the laws, treaties, tax codes, and other areas of guidance. Attendees will learn:

The types of laws that apply to international employees and employers;

How taxation issues may arise; and

How to evaluate common plan document issues that need to be addressed.

Fiduciary

Protecting participant data is a fiduciary responsibility. Everyone involved has to protect the data. What can you do to help plan sponsors: review SOC1 audits, cybersecurity policies and review? This workshop will focus on the fiduciary aspect, not the technology side. Attendees will:

Gain insight into fiduciary responsibility with respect to data protection;

Learn how service providers can best assist plan fiduciaries in meeting cybersecurity requirements; and

Come celebrate the achievements of the ARA and ASPPA! Robert Richter, ARA President, and Rich Hochman, ASPPA President, will provide a year in review, incoming at-large members of the 2018 ARA Board of Directors and ASPPA Leadership Council will be presented to the membership, and an awards presentation will take place. The Washington Update session will begin immediately following, so come get your seats early!

3:50 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

GENERAL SESSION 2: Washington Update
Developments in Washington continue to have a significant impact on retirement plans. Tax reform remains a priority for Republicans. Other legislative proposals are sure to be woven into the fabric of a tax bill, including bipartisan efforts to encourage the use of MEPs. Recent regulatory initiatives, such as the conflicted advice regulation, are under review as a result of new leadership taking office at the relevant federal agencies. Take this opportunity to become in-the-know on recent legal and regulatory developments and discover what may be lurking on the legislative horizon.

President's Welcome Reception
Join us for the Opening President’s Welcome Reception to kick off the 2017 ASPPA Annual Conference! Attendees and meet and mingle with other conference participants and event partners in the exhibit hall. Join your peers for an excellent opportunity to kick off the conference Oktoberfest style! Guest tickets are available for $100. Please visit the conference registration desk for additional information.

GENERAL SESSION 3: ASPPA Squares – “EDUTAINMENT” Current Events
Strategy merges with current events of today's retirement plan world with a game show style presentation based on The Hollywood Squares game show. Contestants, plucked from the conference attendees, will play tic-tac-toe using ASPPA’s own panel of celebrity expert squares. Our game show host/emcee, Derrin Watson, will be trying to keep the squares in line while the contestants work to claim their Xs and Os. You won’t want to miss this fast paced, must-see “edutainment” session as we answer your most pressing questions!

Administration

Is there ever a good time to use the Roth feature of a 401(k) plan? Or is it all just a mirage? Explore when to suggest Roth deferrals to a participant and determine if the Roth conversion feature can be used in the plan. Bonus: how to complete a Roth conversion! Attendees will learn:

How the Roth contributions interact with other plans;

How to leverage the benefits of having multiple types of retirement sources; and

Defined Benefit

Failing the nondiscrimination test may not be the worst thing for your plan sponsor. To change a failing test to a passing test does not always require an amendment, but rather a change in the testing technique. While a basic understanding of 401(a)(4) testing for defined benefit plans is assumed for this workshop, many of these techniques can be applied to general testing DC plans. Attendees will learn:

Defined benefit design features to minimize gateway issues;

Nuances in the 401(a)(4) and 410(b) regulations to improve test results; and

Business Development

As a TPA or recordkeeper, what agreements do you need in place for the service you provide? To whom are the TPAs liable other than plan sponsors and participants? What do those liabilities look like and how can they be addressed and limited using the service agreement? What do the service agreements need to contain and how do you roll out new agreements or updates to your current agreement? How often to review your agreement, what are best practices for your firm? Attendees will:

Identify the items that should be contained in a service agreement;

Understand the liabilities that can be limited using a services agreement; and

Recordkeeping

Redefining your Business Strategy — So, you’re thinking of branching out? Seeking out new opportunities? Boldly going where you’ve never gone before? And you’re terrified! Spend some time with providers who are on the same voyage as you, as well as with those have gone before, and learn from their lessons of failure and success.

Staffing and Workflow Management — Too big? Too Small? Never quite right? The talent pool is always abysmal? And you have to figure out how to manage the work to fit not only the staff you have, but the staff you want 5 years from now? Spend some time discussing one of our industry’s biggest challenges.

Workshop 21: HSAs as a Part of the Retirement Planning ProcessCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Consulting

HSAs combined with HDHPs are becoming one of the most common health arrangements being adopted by employers. They are increasingly being used not only to offset current health care costs but also as a retirement savings vehicle. In addition, HSAs need investment, education and administrative help. Attendees will learn:

Administration

Multiple employer plans have been championed by some as a way to increase retirement plan coverage. A 2012 DOL Advisory Opinion, however, has constrained their growth. MEP supporters in Congress have introduced a number of bills that would address the DOL concerns, as well potential problems under the Code. This workshop will review the current status of the laws regulating MEPs, the “PEP” proposal intended to spur their growth, and what this proposal means for retirement plan sponsors and the professionals who serve them. After attending this workshop, attendees will:

Administration

A participant tells you that he or she is considering divorce. What actions should be taken? This workshop will provide case studies of some of the common and uncommon things that can happen as a result of a participant’s divorce. Discussions on issues outside of a QDRO will be presented, as well as information in the plan document concerning beneficiaries. Attendees will be able to:

Provide guidance on what should be done when you hear a participant is considering divorce;

Know how to make sure your QDRO is compliant; and

Understand the guidance on issues within your plan document concerning the QDRO and beneficiaries.

Defined Benefit

The discussion in this workshop will go where the audience takes it. Bring your questions for an open dialogue with your colleagues on topics where there may not be one right answer, or any answer. This workshop will not be recorded to encourage open discussions.Lawrence Deutsch, FSPA, Larry Deutsch Enterprises
Marjorie Martin, Principal, Conduent HR Consulting

What processes or services are available for outsourcing? What controls do you have to give up to outsource a process or service? How do you decide if you outsource? What are the liabilities related to outsourcing and how do you measure your risk? Basic tenants of successful outsources versus tips and tricks will be discussed.

Fiduciary

In the litigious society we live in today, the need for best practices exist for all employer plans, from the small medical practice to the large employer. This workshop will cover the best practices every plan should include in their fiduciary committees and how to implement them based on the employer's size. Attendees will:

Gain a broad understanding of fiduciary committee responsibilities;

Gain insight into fiduciary committee best practices for plans for the small employer to the large conglomerate; and

Receive various tools/checklists to assist plan fiduciaries in meeting their responsibilities.

Administration

Our annual update on Form 5500 will be provided during this workshop. There will be discussions on any hot items on the current form as well as any anticipated changes to the form in the future. Attendees will learn:

Any current changes to Form 5500;

The issues that the IRS and DOL want additional information for; and

How to assist plan sponsors to identify areas of concern from the proposed 2019 changes.

Scott Albert, Division of Reporting and Compliance, United States Department of Labor (invited)
S. Derrin Watson, Owner, S. Derrin Watson, Attorney at Law

Workshop 30: Working with Actuaries in the Wild: Can They Ever be Tamed?CE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Administration

DC administrative firms can leverage a back office actuarial relationship, but both sides need to understand what's needed and when. Sit rapt as our experts explore this unique relationship. Attendees will learn:

Items needed by the actuary to more efficiently provide their services;

Why the actuary needs certain information; and

How the TPA can work with clients to improve the process and the relationship.

Defined Benefit

The PPA restatement period for defined benefit plans is approaching. This workshop will highlight the restatement process now that cash balance plans are covered under the pre-approved documents. After attending this workshop, attendees will:

Understand options if the current plan design is not covered under the pre-approved program;

Defined Benefit

So your plan has made a lump sum distribution when there were benefit restrictions. What can you do? EPCRS does cover defined benefit issues. After this workshop, attendees will have a:

Broad understanding of when self-correction or submission under the program is required; and

General knowledge of specific DB corrections under EPCRS.

Elizabeth Thomas Dold, Principal, Groom Law Group

Workshop 33: Pollywogs to ProfessionalsCE: ASPPA and ERPA

Business Development

How can you effectively develop your employees — can you hire the knowledge or do you have to teach them? Take a holistic approach to the employee life cycle. Our industry is one that creates and trains its own workforce with the help of designation programs and on the job training. Join this roundtable discussion with your peers on the challenges of finding, keeping and nurturing your employee base. Discuss how you can effectively develop your employees, hire the knowledge, and utilize education programs or some combination of some or all of these approaches. Attendees will be able to:

Workshop 35: Ethics and Best Practices for Fiduciary Service ProvidersCE: ASPPA and ERPA Ethics

Fiduciary

You have entered into the fiduciary world and need to make sure your firm is applying best practices to protect you as the service provider as well as your clients. This workshop will address the sticky issue of simultaneously providing fiduciary and non-fiduciary services (what you say can, no matter how innocent, come back to haunt you!) and the related ethical challenges. We'll provide suggestions on how to implement best practices for your firm. Co-fiduciary liability will also be addressed. Attendees will:

Gain insight into the challenges and risks facing fiduciary service providers;

Learn best practices to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities while mitigating the associated risks; and

Learn best practices for evaluating and managing partner relationships.

Administration

It's the end of the year and you're reviewing your client's plan. What do you look for to anticipate needed changes in the plan design for the next year? During this workshop we will discuss how to address the timing issues of amendments using a case study. Attendees will learn:

Administration

You just know your automatic enrollment plans aren't being operated properly. But how can you work with payroll companies to ensure that automatic increases are being properly implemented? Of course, there are always other pitfalls, including auto escalation issues that arise a few years down the road and alternate versions like EACA and QACA. Attendees will learn about:

Defined Benefit

With last year's election result, one thing that we can be certain of is that there are going to be changes. This workshop will highlight new legislation and recent IRS/Treasury guidance that impact defined benefit plans. Attendees will:

Learn about guidance that has been released by the IRS and Treasury in the last year;

Be able to identify situations where the recent changes will impact their clients; and

Defined Benefit

You just received your client's actuarial report — what exactly do all those numbers mean? This workshop will take the mystery out of the report and give clarity to how they affect the plan's operation. Attendees will:

Learn the important terms used in the report;

Gain a basic understanding of the range in the contribution level between the maximum and the minimum; and

Increase their knowledge of the AFTAP certification and how it affects plan operation.

Business Development

What are the new ideas for operations management? Are you set up to operate efficiently? What offerings should you outsource (e.g., 316) versus insource? How do you identify your strengths and capitalize on them? What technology developments can be utilized? Take a step back and look at your firm from the outside. What are the new ideas for operations management that you could benefit from and provide a higher level of service to your customers? We will examine considerations for operational efficiency and options that you may consider implementing. Outsourcing is a hot topic and the flavors that come with it vary greatly within the market. Learn methods to identify your strengths and capitalize on them and new technology developments can be utilized. Attendees will be able to:

Identify improvements that can be made in their operational model; and

Consulting

Why on earth would an employer elect to exclude compensation for plan purposes? How does 414(s) testing work and can it ever work for you? Attendees will:

Identify the different types of compensation that can be utilized and examples of each kind of compensation;

Understand how the different definitions of plan compensation can cause plan operation issues; and

How to utilize plan correction options to operate a plan.

Sal L. Tripodi, APM, Owner, TRI Pension Service

5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Rally For Retirement
Join us as we prepare for ASPPA's March on the Hill! During this informational session, you'll be gien inside tips on how to talk to Members of Congress (and their staff), what to expect during your meetings and how your meetings will make a difference in the fight to preserve the private retirement system!

Monday Night – Open Evening
National Harbor is not so much a destination as it is an experience. Immerse yourself in the sights, scents, and sounds of this unique waterfront wonderland. Stroll the riverside streets, ride The Capital Wheel, play at the new MGM National Harbor, shop at Tanger Outlets or dine at any of the more than 40 dining spots. Visit www.nationalharbor.com to plan your visit!

New for 2017 - Multiple Tour Options Available!
Looking to get a closer look of DC? Choose from one of our three tour options! Interested? Visit our tour page for more information and to book.

When was the last time you experienced a 401(k) enrollment meeting that ended with an energized employee audience resulting in: A significant increase in new enrollments, Existing participants increasing contributions; and Employees requesting one-on-one meetings with a financial advisor. Attendees will learn:

GENERAL SESSION 4: The "Next" Pension Reform Bill - ASPPA Annual Writes A Law
Pension reform has been lacking of late. It has been over 16 years since the enactment of EGTRRA and 11 years since the passage of PPA ’06. Although the private pension system is a success story, there is always room for improvement. ASPPA members, who are the most experienced and informed professionals in the pension industry, are well situated to make recommendations on how to make the system better. In this interactive session led by ARA’s Brian Graff, Doug Fisher and Craig Hoffman, attendees will brainstorm ideas for ASPPA’s legislative agenda. Proposals presently being consider on Capitol Hill will be discussed and attendees are encouraged to bring their own ideas. Regulatory reforms are also open for discussion. Polling questions will provide real time feedback on the collective thinking of those participating. Come ready to write the “next” pension reform bill.

Workshop 44: Advanced Compliance Testing – How to Put the Rules to Work for Plan SponsorsCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Administration

Businesses want solutions. Learn how to proactively create plan designs to lessen the probability of failure. Also, develop alternate methods of testing that could potentially correct the failures. Attendees will learn:

Defined Benefit

Cash balance plans continue to increase in popularity. This workshop will cover a variety of design issues. This workshop assumes general actuarial knowledge of cash balance plans. Attendees will learn:

Options for interest crediting rates and how they impact testing;

Implications of changing interest crediting rates and potential issues with different interest crediting rates for HCEs vs NHCES; and

Business Development

As you look to expand into other markets for your firm, what market opportunities are available in the non-profit space and why would you move into this arena? This workshop will explore the considerations you need to make if entering the non-profit space. We will address sources to discover new clients and connections you may already have within your network. Join us to uncover the differences in servicing this space that you need to be aware of both in retention of the customer and the compliance nuances. Plan design and document needs along with filing requirements will be reviewed. Attendees will be able to:

Identify market opportunities in the non-profit space;

Understand plan design nuances of the non-profit space; and

Determine if the plans would be ERISA or non-ERISA and which would be in the best interest of your client.

Workshop 48: A VCP Fix-It Guide for Common Errors: Part ICE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Consulting

In your annual administration you find that a plan has not been compliant in issuing or paying back loans, making hardship distributions, or depositing employee elective deferrals or required minimum contributions timely. This workshop will provide case studies on the use of EPCRS and when you can use self-correction versus the voluntary compliance program. Attendees will be able to:

Identify when a plan has a compliance issue;

Understand the correction methods from EPCRS; and

Know when self-correction can be used and when the VCP should be used.

Fiduciary

The new definition of fiduciary investment advice, which went into effect on June 9, 2017, has wide application. Overseeing this complex regulatory project is a new administration at DOL and a new Congress. What will this mean for retirement professionals and plan sponsors? This workshop will explore the latest developments in the regulation, its enforcement and potential legislative changes.

Administration

The workshop will discuss what an abandoned plan is and what should happen when you have one. Topics will include what and who is a Qualified Termination Administrator and how the PBGC can assist in finding missing participants. Attendees will be able to:

Administration

Forfeitures are the bane of every plan sponsors existence — whether they forget forfeitures are there to knowing they are there but everyone wants them. This workshop will help you figure out what to do with them. Attendees will learn:

Workshop 54: Getting the Right Feng Shui for Your Business ModelCE: ASPPA and ERPA

Business Development

Take a look at your firm and identify who you are and your strengths. Different business model workflows can provide you with the greatest return on investment in your staff and their abilities. Join this peer discussion to look at different models: bundled, unbundled; outsourced versus insourced; and the considerations that need to be made to make the right decisions for your firm. SWOT, cost benefit analysis, captive market place, risk vs return methodologies on making these decisions will be examined. Attendees will learn:

Fiduciary

This workshop will include a discussion at each table of current fiduciary case studies and the implications of these situations. Come prepared to share your thoughts on current fiduciary issues and learn from others. Attendees will:

Learn what is happening in the real world relating to fiduciaries;

Learn from others on how they approach various fiduciary issues; and

Learn about areas of concern in the fiduciary world that may have escaped your perspective in the past.

Best practices for staffing models including team based staffing models where a team is comprised of contribution and distribution processors, a compliance person and a relationship manager. These teams are assigned a book of plans vs. functional-based staffing models where separate departments are comprised of contribution processors, distribution processors (hardship vs loan vs RMD vs termination), reconciliation specialists, delinquent contribution representatives, and dividend processors. The compliance and plan consulting is managed by an entirely separate group.

Workshop 57: Taking the Mystery Out of ESOPs!CE: ASPPA and JBEA non-core

Administration

Your client wants to implement an ESOP. What do you need to know about the ESOP to continue to provide services to the 401(k) plan? Attendees will learn:

How a contribution to a leveraged ESOP is determined and how it is allocated to participants;

How recordkeeping is different in an ESOP from a traditional defined contribution plan; and

How the distribution policy is determined for an ESOP and how it is different from a 401(k) plan.

Jeremy M. Pelphrey, Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP

Workshop 58: The Evolution of the Affiliated Service GroupCE: ASPPA and JBEA core

Administration

Affiliated service groups are becoming more prominent. This is because of the way employers are acquiring companies as well as being acquired. This workshop will focus on the new ways affiliated service groups are being formed and especially how this impacts leased and shared employees. Attendees will learn:

Defined Benefit

Always popular, this workshop will cover a variety of situations that require ethical decisions where the actuary needs to reach to the Code of Conduct and/or Actuarial Standards of Practice. Attendees will:

Interact with other professionals to additional perspectives on ethical challenges;

Business Development

Join in on a peer discussion on the trends that are being seen in retirement plan market place, including fiduciary services, plan design features, potential tax reform impacts, MEPs, and technology impacts with low-cost online providers as well robo advisors. Explore how your firm can be a disruptor to the traditional offerings by expanding workforce retirement savings opportunities via HSAs, financial fitness, etc. Attendees will be able to:

Understand the changing landscape of the market offerings;

Communicate the various factors that are causing the changes to occur; and

Workshop 62: A VCP Fix-It Guide for Common Errors: Part IICE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Consulting

In your annual administration, you find that the plan has document failures, non-discrimination test failures that weren't properly corrected or the proper definition of compensation wasn't used. This is a continuation of Part I using case studies to provide guidance on when to use self-correction and when to use the voluntary compliance program. Attendees will be able to:

Identify when a plan has a compliance issue;

Understand the correction methods from EPCRS; and

Know when self-correction can be used and when the VCP should be used.

Fiduciary

Whether you were an early adopter or getting ready to join the fiduciary frenzy now, this workshop will cover best practices when offering this service. In addition, the impact (if any) of offering fiduciary services to clients will be addressed. Attendees will:

Learn about the current landscape of 3(16) fiduciary services;

Learn about the risks of offering fiduciary services and best practices for decreasing risk exposure; and

Understand the different value propositions of offering 3(16) services and be able to identify the best offering and marketing strategy for your firm.

Susan H. Perry, CPC, QPA, QKA, ERPA, President, Edberg & Perry, Inc.

8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

All the hits…all the hair! Rock out at our very own private concert with Herr Metal as they perform rock hits recorded and popularized by Guns 'n' Roses, Bon Jovi, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, the Scorpions, and others. Break out your rock n roll, glam rock – flashy leather clothing, makeup, long shaggy hair, accessories, and metal studs as you dance the night away with 1300 of your closest friends! Check them out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter and get ready to ROCK!

Breakfast Session: The Next Big ThingCE: ASPPA
Sponsored by American Funds

Millions of Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. This presentation explores why retirement readiness matters; how an advisor or TPA can help workers invest more of what they earn; and how people can diversify their investments.

Jonathan Young, SVP Accounts Manager, American Funds

8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS

Workshop 64: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Benefits, Rights and Features But Were Afraid to AskCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

What are benefits, rights and features? Case studies will be provided that will help you identify when you have benefits, rights and features issues; how you must test for them and the methods available for correction. This workshop will also cover this issue as it relates to 403(b) plans. Attendees will be able to:

Help plan sponsors identify when they have a benefits, rights and features issue;

Workshop 65: Who is the "Real" Owner: ASG and Controlled GroupsCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA core

Administration

One of the biggest issues in determining whether there is an ASG or controlled group is figured on who owns the entities involved. This workshop will provide you with a roadmap in determining the "real" ownership of an entity under the attribution rules. Attendees will learn:

The attribution rules for controlled groups and affiliated service groups;

Defined Benefit

Open a newspaper, and if there is a discussion about retirement plans, there is a good chance it will relate to issues with public plans. You don't need to be an actuary to have an interest in this topic. This workshop will explore some of the challenges in the public plan arena. After this workshop, attendees will:

Business Development

Join this discussion on methods of growth through organic means or marketing ideas. Identify considerations you need to make for effective marketing, referrals and direct client growth. Share successful marketing tactics and name recognition efforts with your peers during this workshop. Explore how you can uncover existing opportunities versus create new opportunities and when you need to let the bad clients move on. Attendees will be able to:

Identify marketing methods;

Discover new ideas for growth; and

Communicate factors that impact retaining a client.

Bradley Arends J.D., CEO, Intellicents

Workshop 69: The A-Z on Preparing your VCP Filing: What You Need to Know and DoCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Consulting

You and the client have decided to file for VCP — what should you do now? This workshop will provide guidance on how to make the filing and how to avoid some of the pitfalls. Attendees will learn:

Workshop 70: Recordkeeper Recruitment, Development and RetentionCE: ASPPA and ERPA

Recordkeeping

We’ve all faced this problem. It’s not like we can walk on to a college campus and woo this year’s crop of graduating, aspiring record keepers. Then, once you’re fortunate enough to get a live one in the door, how do you convert that raw gem into a polished, knowledgeable, efficient, accurate record keeper? And once you’ve done all that, how do you improve the chances that your investment doesn’t just walk back out of that same door? In this session, we’ll provide some effective ideas on candidate identification, recruitment, development and retention. Attendees will:

Learn about effective methods of identifying and recruiting record keepers;

Administration

This workshop covers the process of onboarding a new client that has an existing defined contribution plan. The issues that one should look for when taking over the plan, getting the information that you need to continue the plan administration, working with the service providers and determining how far back to check for errors will be some of the topics covered. Attendees will learn:

What to look for when you take over an existing plan from a new client;

What information you need to take over a plan; and

How to address issues concerning the work of the previous recordkeeper/TPA.

Workshop 72: The Wizard Behind the Curtain of Calculating an EBARCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA core

Administration

You've completed pushing all the right buttons to calculate a cross-tested plan and it passes. Do you know what those EBARs really mean? This workshop will review how to calculate EBARs and how you can use them more effectively in your contribution calculations. Attendees will:

Identify the components of an EBAR;

Understand each of the steps for calculating an EBAR; and

Obtain the tools to interpret an EBAR calculation.

Lynn M. Young, Consulting Actuary, Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC

Workshop 73: DB Ask the ExpertsCE: ASPPA and JBEA core

Defined Benefit

One of the most in-demand sessions at ASPPA Annual! Get answers to the most difficult DB questions from this all-star panel of DB experts. Submit your questions in advance!

Defined Benefit

We often find out after the fact that an HCE has terminated and is wanting their distribution. This workshop will review the determination of the top 25 limitation and benefit restrictions under IRC Section 436. Attendees will learn:

Business Development

Business owners have invested years in building their practices and the value of the firm is often part of their retirement planning as well. We will examine methods to position your business for your exit. Join a discussion to explore the considerations in bringing on employees with partnership potential, merging with outside companies with a synergy to your business versus selling to a competitor or larger entity. What should you do now to prepare if you’re 10, 5 or 2 years out, and what should you do to determine the value of your practice? Attendees will:

Identify options for succession planning;

Analyze the differences in the considerations that need to be made; and

Be able to determine the value of their practice.

Renee J. Conner, QPA, QKA, CEO, PensionPro Software

Workshop 76: Trends in Government Audits and InvestigationsCE: ASPPA, ERPA and JBEA non-core

Consulting

DOL investigations and IRS audits of plans and service providers are increasing in number and scope due to new enforcement initiatives. This workshop will take a look at these initiatives as well as provide some real life examples from recent DOL investigations that can help plan sponsors and their service providers better prepare. Attendees will learn:

GENERAL SESSION 5: Ask the Experts
One of the most in-demand sessions at ASPPA Annual! Get answers to the most difficult industry questions from this all-star panel of experts. Submit your questions in advance!

Conference Adjourns
Thank you for attending the 2017 ASPPA Annual Conference! Make sure to share your #ASPPAAnnual2017 experience and save the date for next year's event - October 21-24, 2018 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center!